ATLOP: Trial by Fire

The Awakening

And Percy would prefer having some information over no information.

So Triton had taken the list and left, promising to answer all the questions he could when he returned.

Percy missed him.

OO OO OO OO

Percy never saw the River Gods that told him about the Godly world after that. Not even the little glimpses from the corner of his eyes. The river got dirty again without him having to ask, but the River Gods were nowhere to be found.

He'd asked the fish if they knew what happened, or where the River Gods were, but none of them held any answers.

Well, actually Eli the Eel said that Triton had visited them, but Percy didn't know why. Did he want to know what Percy had already been told? It probably wasn't too important or the fish would tell hear.

He didn't think that was related to the River Gods just vanishing.

But Triton returned within the week, so Percy put it out of his mind.

OO OO OO OO

They were sitting at the bottom of the river, a spot that Percy had cleaned the day before.

Triton was fingering the paper in his hands while Percy twisted his bracelet, waiting for Triton to speak.

"Alright," Triton murmured. "I guess I should start explaining..."

At Percy's eager nod, Triton began.

He explained the Gods, the Greek ones, and how They came to be. He drew out a basic family tree while speaking of Their rise to power. He spoke of Their children, with Gods and mortals alike, how how the children fought with and for Them.

He spoke of ancient grudges and their modern continuations, of the end of grudges and the beginning of peace.

He spoke of Laws, Laws that went back to the beginning of Khaos, and laws that went to the beginning of Zeus. Ancient Laws, and ancient laws. Khaos' laws, unbreakable, to be defied only if you wished to face Khaos. Zeus' laws, to be enforced by Zeus as he saw fit.

Triton spoke of exceptions, of favor earned and laws avoided. He spoke of honoring vows, of offering hospitality, of honoring the dead.

He spoke of not touching another Immortals power, of Immortals not facing a mortal till they are directly challenged.

He learned of the punishment for breaking, ruin and death, or curses lasting millennia. A plea could be made, mercy could be offered, but it had to be earned.

Triton explained how the Gods were beings beyond Mortal knowledge, and there was much Percy could not know of them.

He then spoke of Percy, of his parentage. How he could not be sure of Percy's Metua, but dared not speak until it was confirmed.

There were protections for children, and ignorance was a powerful one.

Triton handed Percy a scroll on the matter, sitting back and allowing Percy to ask new questions.

Percy swore to himself he'd read it quickly, that he would catch up.

He asked for more information, on the sea, on the Gods of the Sea, on the laws that governed him and the Gods. On what he could know, all of it.

Triton promised he would give Percy all the information he would need, books called to his hands in a flurry of bubbles.

He could not speak of all that Percy wanted to know, not yet.